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Kobe Bryant would've avoided all the health-related queries on Media Day

October 3, 2011 | 3:15
pm

This should've marked the first day when the Lakers greeted the media at their practice facility in El Segundo.

Kobe Bryant would've held court and fielded persistent questioning about his health, Mike Brown and the Lakers' quest to redeem themselves. Instead, Bryant's holding court in negotiations with Italy's Virtus Bologna team. Had the Lakers' Media Day actually taken place Monday like it was supposed to, we would've had more fun things to talk about than an NBA lockout. Instead, here's the beginning of a series looking at questions the media would have wanted Bryant to answer.

1. What part of your game do you think rest and the various treatments (including the high-tech procedure in Germany) you underwent this summer will benefit the most?

2. What was it about those procedures that you thought would make your knee as healthy as possible?

3. What treatment, if any, did you receive on your left ankle and right index finger?

4. Looking back at recent seasons, when was the last time you felt you were this healthy?

5. Many reporters, including myself, believed your refusal to talk about Mike Brown's hire for most of the summer suggested you disapproved of the hiring and that you were unhappy the front office didn't consult you about it beforehand. Is there any validity to that?

6. Even though you maintained that you wouldn't get involved in the coaching process unless the front office asked you, would you have wanted them to reach out to you at least out of respect for the research process?

7. What will be the key for your relationship with Coach Brown to be successful?

8. What came out of your discussions with Brown this off-season?

9. With you and Andrew Bynum reportedly at odds over how the offensive dynamic should work, what needs to happen to make sure everyone's in agreement?

10. With Brown stressing more accountability on defense, do you envision yourself taking a larger defensive role this season?

11. Last season marked your lowest statistical output (23.5 ppg) since the 2003-2004 season, but you were efficient, playing only 33.9 minutes per game on average. Given how your body feels and the nature of an 82-game season, what range of minutes would most suit your game?